


three times that mike was hurt and the three times he was finally happy

by vampireluv



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, and elmax is implied, byeler is endgame as it should be in canon, i also love the wheeler family so much and they deserve more recognition, i love mike a lot and i've been thinking about writing this for awhile now, mileven is very brief srry, s3 mike is shit but that's not my mike im sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-29 18:31:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20086813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampireluv/pseuds/vampireluv
Summary: Mike had some ups and downs throughout his lifetime and these are the memories that never escape him.Or the one where three different events make mike sad until three events happen that make him feel happy and loved





	three times that mike was hurt and the three times he was finally happy

**Author's Note:**

> i don't really know what inspired me to write this, but i'm happy i did. i love mike wheeler a lot and i hope that s4 treats him kindly. i'm surprised it went above 1k words!!!!
> 
> i hope you all enjoy and you can find me on tumblr at @princestanley :)

**I.**

“Mike, you okay?” El’s voice cut through his daydream of monsters and blood being spilled. “You spaced out for a while.” 

Mike turned towards her feeling a bit sick as he watched the concern in her face. Guilt started to swim throughout his body knowing that he didn’t have a legitimate excuse for being tormented by his past when the girl in front of him had gone through so much worse. 

“I’m okay, El,” he mumbled, forcing a small smile on his lips. He glanced over at his girlfriend and shook his head. “Don’t worry about me, babe.” _ babe. _Mike wondered why saying that word felt wrong as it came out of his mouth. 

This is what he wanted, right? Yeah...of course, it was. 

Mike was brought back to reality as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked down at the connecting hands and furrowed his eyebrows, confused. It felt wrong. 

It just felt wrong. 

Maybe he just needs sleep. 

Yeah, that’s it. 

“...Okay, Mike,” El replied, moving one of her hands to cup Mike’s cheek. She turned his head towards her and smiled softly at him. “You can always talk to me.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Mike said, returning the smile. He took the hand in his cheek and kissed her hand gently. “I believe you. You can always talk to me, too.”

El nodded and leaned in, kissing Mike softly. 

And for the first time, Mike couldn’t bring himself to kiss the girl back. 

He pulled back and wince at the confusion in El’s face. Mike leaned in and kissed her cheek before mumbling, “I should probably leave. I don’t want Hopper to kill me.” He joked- not really, he’s scared that the chief will actually kill him one day. 

After making sure that Hopper wasn’t outside waiting to kill him, Mike sneaked out of the cabin, hurrying to grab his bike. He sighed deeply as he mounted his bike and finally headed home. 

He had gone through this path too many times, and yet tonight feels different. It feels like he’s in another body since he doesn’t understand why he’s acting weird around El. 

Lately, every time he saw El, this uncomfortable sadness filled him up. He couldn’t escape it and he didn’t know where it came from.

He isn’t supposed to be sad. He’s supposed to be happy since he had the girl of his dreams, right? A lot of people told him that El was the one for him, so that means it’s correct. 

The sadness will go away. It has to. 

**II.**

Mike glanced nervously across El’s room, avoiding looking at the girl. She had texted him early claiming that she needs to talk to him. And now he’s here sitting across from her and yet he feels miles away. 

“So-”

“So-”

Mike let out a chuckle as El broke into a grin, but was quickly replaced with a small smile. 

“Let me go first, please,” she said as she touched his hand. 

Mike nodded, his eyes trained on her hand in his. It’s been a week since he first felt the weirdness around them and it never disappeared. 

“I’ve been thinking-” El started, taking her hand off his. “And I think we both grew apart which is okay! It isn’t your fault or- or mine. I’ve talked to Max about this-”

Mike couldn’t help but raise his eyebrow as a soft blush started to form as El mentioned their red-headed friend. Huh.

“...and she made me realize that couples tend to grow apart when they don’t feel as connected with one another.” She paused, smiling gently at the boy in front of her. At her first love...at the boy that she will always have a soft spot for. “I don’t feel the same way, Mike. That night when you didn’t kiss me back-”

“I’m sorry, El-”

“Let me finish,” El warned, shooting him a playful glare. She shook her head. “No, it’s not your fault. I wasn’t honest to you or myself. I- I kissed you not because I _ wanted _to. I kissed you because I wanted to make sure I didn’t feel anything for you. And...I don’t love you like that. I think it’s the same for you, yeah?”

Mike couldn’t speak. He looked at the girl in front of her and was shocked by the realization that she has become an independent and strong girl. He nodded. 

“Yeah, I-It started slowly,” he mumbled. “The idea of you holding my hand or kissing me doesn’t leave me giddy as it used to.” 

“I know,” El grinned sadly at him. “I’ll always be your friend, Mike. Always. It’s still sad this is happening, but we have to be honest with ourselves…” she trailed off as she looked at Mike, curiously. “It’s him, huh?”

Mike froze. She couldn’t know right-

“It’s okay, I’m not mad. You always saw him differently, treated him differently, especially for the last few weeks.”

She leaned over and hugged Mike, tightly. Mike wrapped an arm around her and brought her closer. With his heart heavy with sadness, he nodded lightly. 

“I’m the same with her,” El whispered, softly- a bit sadly. 

**III.**

“Why couldn’t you be more like Nancy, Mike?” Ted sighed- the disappointed sigh that Mike is familiar with. “She graduated top of her class and joined the school’s newspaper club, and what are you doing?”

“Ted.” However, his mother’s warning tone didn’t do much. 

“You’re hanging out with that kid-” Ted sighed, once again. “He’s bad news, Mike. He disappeared and then reappeared with no explanation? I feel bad for Joyce honestly, a single mother taking care of two boys. Maybe it’s her faul-” 

“Fuck you,” Mike said, coldly as he glared his father. 

“Watch your language, young man-” 

“No. You should be the one who watches what he’s saying. Will-” he choked out, anger seeping through his veins. “He is great. Fantastic even. Joyce too. The Byers have made me feel more loved and cared for than the picture-perfect Wheelers- my own family.” 

“Oh please, Michael,” Ted murmured, massaging his temple. He glanced towards his wife, completely ignoring the look on her face. “You spend so much time with that boy. I’m beginning to think that’s why you and that girl broke up-”

“And what if it was, huh?” Mike’s eyes widen at his own words. This isn’t how he wanted to do this. This wasn’t how he wanted to tell them. But it’s too late. “W-What if it was? You scared you have one of them under your own house, Ted? The people you always talk shit about. You scared I’m one of them? Because if you are then you’re going to be horrified.”

“Mike-” 

Mike bit his bottom lip as he glanced towards her mom for the first time in a while. Silent, angry tears streaming down his face. 

“Mom, I’m-”

“Go to your room, Michael. We will talk later.”

Mike glanced between his father and mother, hoping- praying to whoever is in charge to make them understand. 

As he realized they weren’t going to tell him anything, he got up from his chair, scraping the chair across the floor. 

“I thought parents were supposed to love their children unconditionally,” Mike scoffed before running to his room, slamming the door behind him. 

Hurt surrounded him, suffocated him. It’s all he could feel as he collapsed in his bed, broken sobs escaping from his mouth.   


* * *

**I.**

Mike groaned as he heard someone knock on his door. He lazily walked over and opened it, roughly. 

“What do you want?” Mike hissed as his sister. A part of him feeling bad for lashing out on her, but these last couple of days have been rough. His dad has been refusing to talk about that night, choosing to ignore it. 

“We just want to talk, Mike, please,” his mom replied as she stood besides Nancy. “We need to talk about it.”

“Mike-” his sister started, waiting patiently for him to open up. “Please.”

Doubt and shame flowed through his body as he opened the door wider, letting them inside. 

Mike eyed his mom and sister as they sat down on his bed, glancing around his room as if they haven’t been there in years, maybe that’s true. 

“What do you guys want to talk about?” Mike sighed as he placed his desk chair in front of them, sitting on it. “I don’t have anything to talk about-”

“Did you mean what you said last time?” Nancy asked, always going straight to the point. She wasn’t there that night, but her mom filled her in with the details. “Talk to us, Mike…”

Mike stared at Nancy before shrugging, focusing on his hands. He refused to talk about his feelings with them. With anyone for that matter. 

But as soon as Karen kneeled in front of him, her hand eventually wrapping itself around Mike’s. “Sweetie, please…”

He glanced towards his mom, his eyes finding hers. “I-I tried, mom,” he stammered. “I tried to not feel this way, I-I promise. H-he is just so-” he choked out, tears gathering up in his eyes. “He just...he provoked me and I hate him- I hate how he always belittles the Byers when they are the best people ever. And Will...deserves nothing but the best and I can’t stand hearing dad talk about Will like that especially when I lov-” he cut himself off, blushing brightly. He bit his bottom lip, his heart was heavy as he realizes he was about to reveal his secret. 

Nancy’s heart broke as she watched her baby brother break down right in front of her. Her own eyes’ tearing up as Mike broke down. She joined her mom on the floor and placed her hand on top of the others’. 

“We- I love you, Mike,” Nancy murmured. “You can love whoever you want and I’ll continue to support you and love you forever. No matter what.” 

Mike choked out a laugh as he slid down to the floor, joining his family. “I love you-”

His words were cut off as his mom pulled him closer, tears running down her face. “Oh, Mike, I love you and you can love Will or whichever boy, and I will support you-” she mumbled out. “I’m so sorry that it took me this long to talk to you…”She leaned back kissing Mike’s head softly and taking Nancy’s and Mike’s hands in hers. “I love you both so much and I will always love you and support you, no matter what.” 

And for the first time in weeks, Mike felt okay. Happy even. His father wasn’t with them, but he’s okay with that as long as he has his mom and Nancy. 

He brought them into a hug and mumbled out a happy “I love you..”

**II.**

“I have to tell you something, Will-” Mike nervously mumbled as he sat at the boy’s bed. He glanced at the shorter boy and tried his best to conquer a non-awkward smile. ‘And it’s important. Please don’t hate me-”

Will shook his head as he sat down next to Mike. He did his famous kind smile. “Crazy together, right?” He said, hoping that his own nervousness isn’t noticeable. 

“Yeah, crazy together, Byers,” Mike replied, sincerely. “...okay, as you know...El and I broke up a month ago or so...and I wasn’t completely honest.” he paused, gathering the small amount of courage that he had. El, Nancy, and his mom had encouraged Mike to finally let the shorter boy how he felt, but the nerves are kicking in. 

“...We didn’t break up because of Hopper. We broke up because we liked other people. I love someone else and he-” Mike said, slowly, wincing slightly at the surprised look that Will had. “is great and amazing. He makes me so insanely happy, Will. You have no idea.”

Silence surrounded the both of them for a minute or two. Will glanced at Mike, a weird expression on his face. Mike couldn’t put his finger on what it was. 

“I-I’m glad, Mike,” Will mumbled down, smiling small at him. He looked down at his hands. “I’m happy for you...you deserve the best and I hope he loves you just as much. You deserve that. If he doesn’t love you then he’s blind because you’re the complete package-”

“He’s you.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, and I’m sorry for making things weird. I understand if you hate me and want me to leav-”

Mike’s rambling was cut off as he felt a pair of soft lips touch his own. He sighed softly as he kissed the other boy back. 

And it felt right. Kissing Will felt right- it was everything he needed. 

“I love you too, Mike,” the shorter boy mumbled as he pulled away, his cheeks flushed. 

Mike grinned brightly as he pulled Will closer to him, hugging him tightly. When Will returned the hug, Mike felt like he was on cloud nine. He felt free and light. He was warm. He-

He was loved. 

**III.**

Mike smiled softly as he looked up at the stars silently thanking them for aligning themselves for Will and him. Because that’s what they were; written in the stars. It was meant to be. 

“Earth to Mike, I repeat. Earth to Mike,” Will giggled as he poked Mike’s side. “What are you thinking of, love?”

Mike glanced down at his boyfriend of six months and shrugged. “Thinking about how beautiful you are under the moonlight,” he said. He couldn’t help but feel smug as a soft blush decorated Will’s cheeks. 

“Shut up,” Will mumbled, hiding his face in Mike’s chest. “If anything you’re the one who’s beautiful here…”

“Mmmm. Don’t think so, babe” _ babe. _It finally sounded good coming out of Mike’s mouth. “With your pretty eyes, mouth, ears, nose-” he rambled on listing all of Will’s features before taking Will’s hand in his. “With your pretty everything? You are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.”

Will stared at him for a while, unable to keep the smile from forming. He leaned in pressing a kiss on Mike’s cheek. “Okay, but you’re beautiful too. Always have been. Always will be.” 

“Okay okay,” Mike agreed before pulling back slightly so he was facing his boyfriend. “Hey, Will?”

“Yeah?” 

“Under this beautiful sky and stars, I promise to love you as much as I can. I promise to protect you and do my best to keep you safe. To make you smile that beautiful smile of yours and make you laugh. I promise to be here for you and I promise that I’ll make you my husband one day because you’re my person. Always have been. It took me a while to realize it, but I’m here now.”

During Mike’s speech, Will’s eyes had betrayed him and had started watering at the wonderful feeling of being here with Mike. He leaned over, kissing Mike deeply before pulling away. “M-Mike, I promise to love you and make you laugh. I promise to be here for you. I promise to try my best to make you happy. You don’t deserve to be sad ever-”

Mike without realizing it had tears in his eyes as well. He raised his pinky finger. “Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise,” Will chuckled as he wrapped his pinky around the other’s finger. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
